Chuckwalla 2013 Finale
Chuckwalla 2013 Finale Recap
Snow is beginning to fall across the country. Drivers are trading summer tires for winter tires and preparing to scrape ice from their windshields. However, Arizona drivers don’t have time for that, they go racing all year long! The NASA AZ year end finale meant for cool mornings, beautiful afternoons, and of course after hour shenanigans topped by no other region. To close the year, NASA AZ drivers made the trip to Desert Center, California, home of Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. The schedule was full from the usual Racing, TT, and HPDE sessions, along with a bonus endurance race and finally “Anidas” special end of the year competition.
It takes a great group of friends and family to make the organization we love a success every year. Not only do officials and drivers work hard throughout the 11 month season, but volunteers make sure to support what the drivers love to do. We want to thank everyone from corner workers, instructors, officials, participants and of course Tage and Adina for keeping this family together.
Race Group
Saturday Endurance Race
NASA Arizona ends each year with a highly anticipated endurance race. Endurance races are a treat for racers as new components become part of the strategy to winning. With supplemental rules covering driver swaps, fueling, new penalties, and mechanical failure and repair, racers must educated themselves so as not to lose precious time caused be quick oversights. Over 30 drivers qualified to race, many with co-drivers ready to step in for a stint. With pit stops required it truly became a team event as every member had a responsibility in podium finishes. The teams felt the pressure as soon as the green flag dropped. Hours of racing would eventually come down to minutes in difference determining the overall and class winners. Pit crews and co-drivers waited anxiously to step in. Time flew by as the crowd watching immediate battles on track. Tom Haacker, Bob Blizzard, and Clay Koevary pushed eachother around the first laps trading places and forcing passes. Following closely was Chris Wilson who unfortunately bowed out early due to a vibration coming around the bowl on track. With so many highlights to mention be sure to look for new coverage from drivers during the off season. Congratulations to all of the drivers who participated and everyone is looking forward to next year.
Saturday Endurance Race Results
ES
1st – Tom Haacker & Jim Slavik
E1
1st – Eric Dayton & Taylor Wilson – #Hashtag Racing
2nd – Gabe Ortega & Mervin Tan – Team LBR
3rd – David Snyder
E2
1st – Jim Richard & Erik Davis
E3
1st – Simon Pavlick & Markos Mylonas – Oooohhh Mijo Racing
2nd – Jeff Wojnar & Rob Giorgio
3rd – Shawn Meze
Sunday Sprint Race
Super Unlimited
1st – Bob Blizzard
2nd – Michael Pinholster
3rd – Ed Charnock
Super Touring 2
1st – Martin Daszkal
Super Touring 3
1st – Erik Davis
2nd – Rob Capetz
PTC
1st – Justin Markiewicz
2nd – David Snyder
PTD
1st – Jim Richard
GTS3
1st – Phil Buffington
2nd – Jeremy Renshaw
3rd – Martin Saltzman
Honda Challenge 2
1st – Tony Lisa
2nd – Team LBR
3rd – Eric Dayton
944 Spec
1st – Norm Hamden
2nd – Rob Giorgio
3rd – Kim Unger
Spec E30
1st – Allan Hauser
2nd – Kenneth Pearson
3rd – Michael Mihld
Lotus Group
Did you hear that? Listen closely. It’s a pack of Lotus’!! A special race group was set up at Chuckwalla for a great group of Lotus racecars to come out and tear up the track. Vehicles ranged from mild prep to Lotus Cup racecars. It was great to have this guest group out to complement NASA AZ at the season finale.
Lotus Group Saturday
Cup
1st – Larry Schnur
2nd – Mike Bryan
3rd – Duane Andrews
Evora
1st – Tom MacMillan
Open
1st – Andrew Kern
2nd – Greg Nitzkowski
Production
1st – Brent Bauman
2nd – Robb Bonanno
3rd – Mike Dean
2-11
1st – Scott Gibson
Lotus Group Sunday
Cup
1st – Larry Schnur
2nd – Mike Bryant
3rd – Duane Andrews
Evora
1st – Tom MacMillan
Open
1st – Andrew Kern
2nd – Greg Nitzkowski
Production
1st – Brent Bauman
2nd – Robb Bonanno
3rd – Eddie Park
2-11
1st – Scott Gibson
Time Trial Saturday
Anthony Szirka came out swinging on Saturday determined to continue his track record lineup and ran a 1:50.058 for a new class record. Chris Wilson, always perfecting his S2000 set a new TT1 record. Taylor Wilson took 1st place TT2 followed closely by David Stark. Clay Koevary running times competitive for TTU set a new TT3 record running a 1:55.711. Jeremy Renshaw followed closely behind for 2nd place TT3. No stranger to 1st place David Schotz ran a 2:01.557 in TTB. Justin Markiewicz ran a 2:05.457 for 1st Place TTC. Robert Rose won TTD with a 2:04.642. Simon Pavlick, as a warm up to the endurance race later in the day, ran a 2:14.217 for the TTE record and win.
Saturday Time Trial Results
TT-U
1st – Anthony Szirka – 1:50.058 – New Record!!
2nd – Travis Barnes – 2:12.609
TT-1
1st – Chris Willson – 1:54.412 – New Record!!
2nd – Gary Felton – 1:59.121
3rd – Russell Whelan – 1:59.429
TT-2
1st – Taylor Wilson – 2:04.506
2nd – David Stark – 2:05.441
TT-3
1st – Clay Koevary – 1:55.711 – New Record!!
2nd – Jeremy Renshaw – 1:56.902
3rd – Erik Davis – 1:58.721
TT-B
1st – David Schotz – 2:01.557
2nd – Harold Dunn – 2:06.330
3rd – Joel Schotz – 2:06.447
TT-C
1st – Justin Markiewicz – 2:05.457
2nd – Carl Vandbaschut – 2:05.514
3rd – Jeff Abrams – 2:06.819
TT-D
1st – Robert Rose – 2:04.642
2nd – Chris Ambrosio – 2:07.229
3rd – Jaryd Ronquillo – 2:08.016
TT-E
1st – Simon Pavlick – 2:14.217 – New Record!!
2nd – Paul Bloomberg – 2:20.460
Time Trial Sunday
Anthony Szirka once again took the TTU win on Sunday. Oil pump issues would prevent him from bettering his Saturday time. Chris Wilson again won TT1 with Gary Felton following just seconds behind. Russell “I pop wheels” Whelan took 3rd place TT1. David Stark stepped up his time from Saturday and ran a 2:04.328 for the TT2 record. Erik Davis narrowly edged out Jeremy Renshaw in TT3 running a 1:57.309. David Schotz took a TTB record running a 2:01.152. Jeff Abrams ran consecutive 2:04 laps setting a new record in session one with a 2:04.070. Robert Rose took 1st Place 2:03.837 and a new class record in TTD.
Time Trial Results Sunday
TT-U
1st – Anthony Szirka – 1:54.428
2nd – Travis Barnes – 2:10.340
3rd – Jim Cozzolino – 2:10.639
TT-1
1st – Chris Willson – 1:56.241
2nd – Gary Felton – 1:58.051
3rd – Russ Whelan – 1:59.356
TT-2
1st – David Stark – 2:04.328 – New Record!!
2nd – Taylor Wilson – 2:07.545
TT-3
1st – Erik Davis – 1:57.309
2nd – Jeremy Renshaw – 1:57.831
3rd – Robert Smithson – 2:01.143
TT-B
1st – Dave Schotz – 2:01.152 – New Record!!
2nd – Jason Griepentrog – 2:06.061
3rd – William Dave Evans – 2:06.755
TT-C
1st – Jeff Abrams – 2:03.781 – New Record!!
2nd – Carl Vandasschut – 2:05.152
3rd – Justin Markiewicz – 2:05.682
TT-D
1st – Robert Rose – 2:03.704 – New Record!!
2nd – Jim Richard – 2:07.415
3rd – Noz Wijaya – 2:07.936
TT-E
1st – Paul Bloomberg – 2:17.441
UMS Tuning Time Attack Series
Chuckwalla was less than friendly to our Time Attack drivers during the final event. Pushing to get the last points of the seasons drivers went all out in hopes of beating their components. Congratulations to everyone for a great season!
UMS Tuning Time Attack Results
TA-C
1st – Justin Ryan
2nd – Mert Seckin
TA-B
1st – Ravi Tomerlin
2nd – Jake Castro
TA-A
1st – Jay Ronquillo
2nd – Aaron Hiar
HPDE
Chuckwalla is the perfect track for HPDE drivers to progress their driving levels. With a great combination of elevation, varying turn styles, and new elements at no other track run within the region, drivers get a great opportunity to add new skills. Thank you to all of the HPDE drivers that came out for the final event of the season and we look forward to continuing to see the progress within the HPDE ranks.
“Anidas” Drag Race
A picture is worth a thousand words…
Next Event Info
Arizona Motorsports Park – November 23 – Litchfield Park, AZ
Event Details
HPDE
UMS Tuning Time Attack Series (non points)
Time Trial (non points)
Race Group (Test & Tune only)
94dB @ 50” strictly enforced
Register here –> https://www.drivenasa.com/event/
NASA-AZ Info
Join the NASA-AZ forms to check out the latest info on upcoming events, questions and answers, Etc.
Also check out our Facebook page.
Credits
Written and Edited By: Taylor “Dr. Koby D” Wilson